Bastasin settles in with Canucks
Brandon Bastasin appears to have finally found a home.
After bouncing around with five teams in three leagues since 2015/16, the big rearguard has settled in nicely with the Niagara Falls Canucks.
The 20-year-old Mississauga native played for Burlington and Markham in the Ontario Junior Hockey League last season after stops in Ottawa and Kemptville of the Canadian Central Hockey League the previous year. Bastasin began his junior career in the Ontario Hockey League with the Sudbury Wolves in 2015 were he played in 32 games.
Bastasin joined the Canucks this season off season and fit like a glove since Day 1, a contrast to some of his previous experiences.
“It’s hard to get used to a bunch of guys,” he said when asked about his travels. “Some of the teams I’ve played for they’ve opened their arms for me and some it’s been kind of a struggle a little bit.
“I’ve connected with all the guys here and we see each other almost every day. One hundred per cent I feel like this is home now. This has probably been my most favourite year of hockey.”
Bastasin contacted Canucks coach Frank Pietrangelo over the summer, who did some research and liked what he saw and heard about the rugged defenceman.
“We looked over his resume and saw the OHL experience and the junior A experience and watched some video on him and he moves pretty good for a big guy,” Pietrangelo said. “Once he wanted to be part of the Canucks, it was a no-brainer for us.
“He’s a big kid. He’s a horse and those type of players are hard to find. He can really skate and play the physical game as well. He’s been a great find for us.”
Bastasin has been paired with veteran defenceman Dillon Hill all season and the duo compliment each other, on and off the ice.
“He’s (Hill) is one of those guys who I have connected with quite well since I’ve gotten here,” Bastasin said. “He was the first guy I really got to talk to in the summer. Playing with him is fun. He’s always rushing and I’m always staying home. Even when I want to rush, he will stay back. We have each other’s back pretty much when it comes to anything.
“We’re both 20-year-olds so we have that connection with each other. He has that past where he is like me where he’s never had a shot and this year is our shot.”
Pietrangelo realizes how special of a combination Hill and Bastasin have turned into.
“We put them together right from Day 1 to see how it would work and they were magical right off the bat,” he said. “They worked really well together and complimented each other and have stayed together all year.”
Bastasin has also enjoyed playing on a team with a legitimate chance to win a championship. The Canucks lead the Greater Ontario Junior Hockey League in winning percentage at .870 and have only three losses in regulation.
“To win a championship has always been a goal of mine,” he said. “Just coming here, I knew I had a lot of opportunities, even for school for the next year, and Frank is always good to his players.
“I’ve never been on a team like that. I’ve been on a bunch of teams where the guys really don’t care what happens. Since we have a lot of 20-year-olds this year, we’ve been saying we’re winning it and there’s nothing else, really. Everyone has pretty much bought into that which makes it a lot more fun.”
Pietrangelo feels Bastasin’s contributions may become even more crucial for the Canucks in the playoffs.
“Defence wins championships. We all know that so we’ve tried to build from the goal on out. It’s great we are scoring goals and have the ability to score goals, but you’re not going to get them every night. As the season goes on, come playoff time you have to bear down and take care of our end first.
“We’ve already started with that mentality. The focus is defence first.”
Bastasin is enrolled in the sports management program at Niagara College and hopes to get into facility management once his hockey career ends.
The Canucks home to the Fort Erie Meteors Friday.
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